Arizona ACLU says Maricopa County election workers unlawfully demanded ID for ballot drop-off

Poll workers in Arizona’s most populous county have been unlawfully demanding voters present identification to drop off mail ballots in person, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) said Tuesday in a letter to county leaders.  

That is alarming because the Maricopa County recorder is Justin Heap, a Republican election skeptic who has pushed conspiracy theories about voting in Arizona.

On Oct. 24, ACLU volunteers and supporters walked to drop off their mail ballots at an in-person vote center in Maricopa County, ACLU of Arizona Policy Director Darrell Hill said in the letter. When they arrived, they were instructed by a poll worker that they must provide identification to drop off their ballots — despite Arizona law not requiring that.

“The poll worker failed to inform them that they could drop their ballots off without identification,” the letter states.

Arizona state law allows for a voter to present ID when dropping off their mail ballot to allow for the ballot to be tabulated faster, but this is not the only option. Arizona voters can still drop ballots off without ID and election officials will verify their identity through the signature verification process. 

Only after speaking with an ACLU staff member did the voters receive accurate information and drop off their ballots, Hill wrote. He said the ACLU of Arizona has heard from other voters with similar experiences. 

The ACLU asked Heap and the Board of Supervisors to review their training and update it if necessary to ensure poll workers are providing voters with correct information during early voting and on Election Day. 

“No voter should lose their right to vote due to confusion or mistake,” the letter states.

The Maricopa County recorder’s office rejected these allegations in a press release Thursday, calling them “anonymous” and “unsubstantiated.” The office claimed that the ACLU offered no evidence and no proof that it attempted to investigate this issue before raising these concerns. 

“Arizona poll workers, including in Maricopa County, are trained to explain that voters may voluntarily present ID to bypass signature verification or deposit their ballots in a drop box without ID,” the release states.

The recorder’s office said it also contacted the identified site’s inspector, who reviewed the allegations with his staff. In a statement included in the recorder’s office release, the site inspector said his staff reported no issues on that date and found the accusations “baffling.” 

“The ACLU should be ashamed of this irresponsible political hit piece and owes our dedicated poll workers a public apology,” Heap wrote in the statement.

Heap is a controversial figure who has feuded intensely with Maricopa County’s Republican-controlled board. In June, they accused his office of improperly seizing election equipment and documents as votes were being counted in local elections earlier this year, setting off “grave chain-of-custody concerns.” 

Most recently, Heap agreed to restore voting rights to 25 voters after they were falsely flagged as noncitizens and removed from voter rolls by the recorder.